Saudi Arabia expat guide

Indoor smoking is present in some adult spaces. Law vibe is strict and formal, especially in public and administrative life.

Minimum budget: rural $1000/mo, urban $1600/mo. Medical insurance: $1,400/yr.

Auto: Russian tourists should carry an IDP; rental desks are modern but strict on passport, visa, card and license match. Rentals are about $30-70/day for Yaris, Sunny, Elantra class and $80-180+ for SUVs, desert-capable vehicles. Bahrain, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Jordan crossings need explicit permission and insurance and are not automatic; causeway and holiday queues can be heavy.

Smoking: Indoor smoking is present in some adult spaces.

Police / rules: Police and public-order vibe is strict and rules-first: keep behavior clean, keep documents in order, and do not expect small-rule flexibility to be the default.

Zones

• Urban Desert & Red Sea Core: Modern desert cities, business districts, corniches, malls and extreme summer heat. Extreme desert megacity climate with summers 38–48°C and mild winters 12–24°C, very dry air and strong sun.
• Mountain Southwest: Cooler green highlands, misty summer retreats, terrace farms and softer climate. Higher elevation regions with cooler winters 5–18°C, milder summers 20–30°C and greener terrain.